Here’s your first look still image from Rod Gailes OBC’sSoft Focus – the winner of the second Shadow And Act $3,000 Black Filmmaker Challenge.

Principal photography on Rod’s short film has been completed and he’s currently in post-production, putting it all together for an eventual debut on this site in the next month or so.

I haven’t seen any of the film yet, but from my exchanges with Rod in the last few weeks, he’s certainly thrilled with the work he got out of his cast and crew, and is anxious to show us what this baby looks like!

But for now, the above photo is a still from the shoot; it’s the lead character (played by Damion Omar Lee).

As it’s been awhile since we last updated you on the film, here’s a brief recap:

It presents a rare look at familial relationships, sexuality, and sexual identity, and will likely push a few buttons. But, as with the first Shadow And Act Filmmaker Challenge winner, Nikyatu Jusu and her Black Swan Theory script, which most of you have probably already seen, it’s the kind of work that challenges the homogeneity that I think is really killing cinema right now – especially here in the USA. We need to see more stories like these told, especially from an Afrocentric POV. And that’s what the Shadow And Act Filmmaker Challenge is about.

Vague I know, as I was with Nikyatu’s short; but I think it’s best to save the big reveal for when the film is actually done!